Mantis Control and Speed Mouse Pads
www.RazerZone.com
Price: $24.99

Recently we have taken a look at the performance mouse pads from SteelPad and today I am proud to say we are having a chance to take a look at the performance mouse pads from Razer. When I took a look at the SteelPad performance mouse pads you may remember me saying how many people overlook their mouse pads. If you did not catch this, here is what I believe:

?In today's world of high tech toys and expensive computer setups, people many times overlook the small details that can make a huge difference to their computing experience. One such category that is overlooked quite frequently is input devices. These devices, keyboards, mice, trackpads, etc, are what let you use your computer comfortably and easily. But many people just stick with whatever came with their computer or whatever freebie they picked up at some clearance sale. One such item that usually gets no attention is the Mouse Pad.? -TechIslands.com SteelPad QcK Review

There are not many companies out there that target the mouse pad market, but Razer has come into the game with the Razer Mantis and doubled their entry by providing two versions of the Mantis (the Control and Speed). Razer is well known in the gaming industry already for their great line of performance mice, so it makes sense that they would provide quality mouse pads to go along with their mice. Both of the Mantis pads share the same dimensions/thickness/packaging/etc., but they differ in their surfaces.

The first version I am looking at is the Mantis Control Mat.

Meant for precision mousing, the Control features a more classic cloth feel for the surface. Since the Mantis is an oversized mouse pad, it is 444mm x 355mm x 4.3mm. This is much larger than the ordinary cheapo mouse pads that are found in stores and is one of the key reasons to switch to a quality performance mouse pad.

Coming in a very graphical tube, the Mantis is nicely rolled up inside. After removing the Mantis from the tube, it lays out flat on its own very quickly with only minor curling on the edges that settles out within a few hours of use.

On the surface of the mouse pad is Razer's Logo along with their URL and the name of the mouse pad. It is a neat look but to be honest, a bit much for me. It is very neat for the gamers out there and many probably like to show off their mouse pad company, but for a person who wants this pad in their office or home work space, it is a bit much (SteelPad's discrete logo is much better).

Using the control surface with my Logitech G7 Laser mouse was honestly awesome. The surface is very easy to work on and the G7 glides across it very easily. I could also pinpoint fine details without a problem on the screen. There was no jittering or shuttering which sometimes can happen with optical/laser mice on the wrong surface. I also prefer cloth surfaces to hard plastic surfaces, so the cloth feel of the Control is made for me!

The next version is the Mantis Speed.

The Speed is the same large size (444mm x 355mm x 4.3mm), but does have a different surface and logo design compared to the Control. The logo on the Speed is different in that the background has more green that is in a random pattern behind the logo and text. This again is great for gamers and people who like that sort of thing, but for work spaces and offices it feels a bit out of place and a bit bold.

Since the Speed is meant for low friction mousing, the Speed's surface is much smoother yet still made of cloth. I thought this was a very neat idea as most of the low friction pads out there are made from a harder plastic that (in my opinion) is not as nice to work on. The low friction is honestly great for gaming. I played Battlefield 2, Half Life:2, and Counterstrike which are all First Person Shooters where quick movement is key. Less friction = more speed and coupled with a good mouse (the Logitech G7 in my case) the Speed pad gives instant response. While not as nice for doing detailed photo and image work, the Speed pad is great for gaming and frictionless mousing. In fact I had a friend come over check it out and he was amazed how it felt like the mouse was floating.

Mantis Control vs. Speed (Click to Enlarge):

Considering both the Control and Speed both have the same dimensions and thickness, I grouped the comparison shots together.

Here you can see the Mantis pad (on the left) next to a generic cloth pad (on the right). Notice how the Mantis, while not the thinnest pad out there, is still much thinner than the cheapo pads on the market.

My current mouse pad (the SteelPad QcK) (on the right) next to the Mantis (on the left). It may look like the Mantis is extremely thick, but it in fact is the QcK that is just extremely thin. The Mantis still is very thin and easy to glide your hand between desk/pad.

A great comparison to show the size of the Mantis! All mouse pads are lined up in the upper left corner and you can see how the Mantis is HUGE compared to the competition!

Another shot showing the Logitech G7 mouse on the Razer pad.

Both of the pads also share the same bottom which is a standard non-slip grip bottom. Neither of the pads slid around at all on my flat wooden desk which to me says they should have no trouble on most surfaces out there.

Overall I loved the Razer Pads. They are high quality, have great surfaces to work on, and fit right in with a good quality mouse and a performance PC. I would like to see Razer come out with a version that just has a small logo on it for those of us that love the pad but think the logo is a bit much for our workspace (me!). I personal love the Control pad, but I am more of a photo/detail user than a gamer. For games the Speed pad is awesome and the best gaming pad I have ever used to date!

Pros:

• Great Surfaces for detail work (Control) and gaming (Speed)
• Great graphics (logos) for Gamers
• Large "Oversize" size means you will never run out of pad
• Thinner than normal pads
• Flashy Tube Packaging

Cons:

• Could we office folk get a version with just a small logo?
• Thicker than the SteelPad (but to be honest the SteelPad is just amazingly thin)

Thanks to Razer for the review samples!